22/09/2019: LIVE, LOVE LIKE JESUS

CALL TO WORSHIP:          Psalm 133

 

A Pilgrim Song of David

How wonderful, how beautiful,
when brothers and sisters get along!
It’s like costly anointing oil
flowing down head and beard,
Flowing down Aaron’s beard,
flowing down the collar of his priestly robes.
It’s like the dew on Mount Hermon
flowing down the slopes of Zion.
Yes, that’s where God commands the blessing,
ordains eternal life.

The Message (MSG) Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson

READING:    Matthew 25:31-40

The Sheep and the Goats

31-33 “When he finally arrives, blazing in beauty and all his angels with him, the Son of Man will take his place on his glorious throne. Then all the nations will be arranged before him and he will sort the people out, much as a shepherd sorts out sheep and goats, putting sheep to his right and goats to his left.

34-36 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what’s coming to you in this kingdom. It’s been ready for you since the world’s foundation. And here’s why:

I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,
I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit,
I was in prison and you came to me.’

37-40 “Then those ‘sheep’ are going to say, ‘Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?’ Then the King will say, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.’

The Message (MSG) Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson

  1. What are your thoughts on the text verse (vs.40) “Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.’” (Peterson)

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  1. The challenge in the parable is quite radical and blunt… “You’re either in or you’re out!” What does Jesus use as a measuring tool (see vs.36) for those who will enter the Kingdom? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
  2. The parable is not just about who will get into heaven and who won’t, it is very much about where we will find …. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
  3. Learning to live like Jesus and love our neighbour is not a pre-occupation with our own salvation but a …. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
  4. What if I did not ask – “Are you saved?” but instead asked – “Do you genuinely love God and your neighbour, not for your own advantage, but for true brotherly, sisterly, Godly love?” How might you answer then? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
  5. Please use the prayer on the next page to guide you in your walk with Jesus and in your prayers for our country.

NOTES:

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God bless,

Rev. Tim

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